Afford Anything

  • Start Here
    • About
    • Team Afford Anything
    • Media
    • Questions?
  • Blog
    • Binge
  • Podcast
    • Binge
    • Sponsors
    • Ask a Question
    • Guest Guidelines
  • Community
  • TV
  • Explore
    • Your First Rental Property
    • Travel
    • Start a Blog
    • Earn Extra Income

Category: FIRE

March 5, 2025By Paula Pant

#587: Q&A: Should You Cash Out Your ETFs? The Hidden Consequences of That Decision …

Debi is stressed about saving a down payment to buy a house in her high-cost-of-living area. Should she cash out her brokerage account to speed up the process?

Lucas and his wife are high earners, but they’re tired and ready for a change. What strategies can they use to maximize their investments and confidently step away from their jobs?

Grant is thrown off by recent discussions about the efficient frontier. It sounds a lot like market timing to base an investment strategy on an arbitrary set of historical dates. What’s he missing?

Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

February 28, 2025By Paula Pant

#586: Money Doubles Every 10 Years (and Most People Never Notice!), with Scott Yamamura

If you are a complete beginner at finances, or if you know someone who is, this episode is for you.

The biggest hurdle for beginners? Money seems complex and intimidating. But Scott Yamamura, author of Financial Epiphany, explains personal finance doesn’t have to be complicated. He breaks compound interest into three easy-to-grasp frameworks:

1. Money as a Multiplying Ability: Just like athletes have peak physical abilities in their 20s, your money has its greatest multiplying power when you’re young. At age 22, every dollar invested can multiply 16 times by retirement (assuming a 40-year career and 7.2 percent returns).

2. The Doubling Framework: Money can double approximately every 10 years with average market returns. This explains why a dollar invested at 22 becomes $2 by 32, $4 by 42, $8 by 52, and $16 by 62.

3. The Halving Concept: With each decade that passes, your money’s multiplying power gets cut in half. This is the inverse of the above idea.
Scott shares how these simple frameworks helped him front-load his son’s college savings. “We can stop now because it’s going to double,” he said.
For beginners struggling with analysis paralysis, Scott offers a Rubik’s Cube analogy: You don’t need to understand all 43 quintillion possible combinations to solve it — you just need one simple method to get started.

Similarly, you don’t need to master every financial concept to begin investing.

The most important step is just to get started. You can learn the complexities later, but starting early gives your money more time to grow.

Scott also emphasizes finding your “why” — a purpose bigger than just accumulating wealth. He shares a moving story about a man named Ernie who funded his mission trip to Sierra Leone, showing how money can be used to make a profound difference in people’s lives.

Keep reading...

February 25, 2025By Paula Pant

#585: Q&A: The Hidden Tax Drain in Your Investment Strategy

Michael rebalances his portfolio every year. But he’s worried that triggering capital gains taxes on his brokerage account will cancel out the benefits of reallocation. Is there a better approach?

Sam has an opportunity to switch jobs, but she’s confused about how an Employee Stock Ownership Plan stacks against her current employer’s 401(k). Is she […]

Keep reading...

February 19, 2025Written By Paula Pant

The 60-Year-Old Who Lost Everything | “Trust, But Verify”

Picture this: You’re in your 60s.

You’ve been married for more than 40 years.

You raised six children full-time, while your spouse built their career, earning $200,000 annually.

All those years, you believed you were building a comfortable retirement together.

Then the divorce papers arrive, alongside a devastating revelation — there are no retirement savings.

 […]

Keep reading...

February 18, 2025By Paula Pant

#583: Q&A: Everyone Is Arguing About Roth IRAs And We Have Thoughts

Contrary to recent discussions, Jesse has concluded that a traditional IRA is the smarter way to go for most people once marginal tax rates are factored in. Is he missing something?  

An anonymous caller is four years away from early retirement but she’s unsure if her portfolio allocations are in the right place. How and when should she start converting equities to cash?

Luz is confused about how to handle company stock options. Is there an ideal spread between the exercise price and the stock price? And, what should she do once the stocks are exercised?

Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

February 14, 2025By Paula Pant

#582: The Marriage Contract You Never Saw (But Can’t Escape), with Harvard Law Alum Aaron Thomas

They had it all. Six thriving children. A 40-year marriage. A household income of $200,000.

Then in her 60s, she discovered a shocking truth: he had gambled away their entire retirement savings in penny stocks.

She had no access to their financial accounts during the marriage. After divorcing, she was left with nearly nothing. Today, she relies on her adult kids for support.

Harvard-trained family law attorney Aaron Thomas joins us for a Valentine’s Day discussion about prenuptial agreements — not just as divorce insurance, but as a framework for building stronger marriages.

Thomas is a three-time winner of Atlanta’s Best Divorce Attorney and a leading expert in family law. He’s the founder of prenups.com and authored The Prenup Prescription.

Thomas explains that every married couple already has a prenup by default: their state’s laws. In 41 states, judges have broad discretion in dividing assets “equitably” — which might mean a 70-30 split rather than 50-50. The remaining nine states are community property states, where assets are typically split equally.

But even in community property states, determining what qualifies as joint property can spark fierce debate. For example: if you entered marriage with $100,000 in a 401(k) and continued contributing during the marriage, how much belongs to you vs. the marriage? What about a home you owned before marriage, but your spouse helped pay the mortgage?

To prevent financial surprises, Thomas recommends couples hold “annual shareholder meetings” to review finances together. He suggests creating three buckets — yours, mine and ours — with clear agreements about spending. For example, his prenup requires both spouses to approve joint account purchases over $500.

Beyond asset division, prenups can include requirements like marriage counseling before filing for divorce, or mediation if custody disputes arise. While prenups can’t determine child custody or support payments, they can establish frameworks for working through conflict.

The biggest benefit, Thomas argues, isn’t protecting yourself in case of divorce — it’s creating clarity and communication during marriage. By having difficult conversations upfront about money, expectations and conflict resolution, couples build stronger foundations for lasting partnerships.

Listen to this episode to hear our full conversation about how prenups can strengthen marriages, prevent costly court battles, and help couples align on money management from day one.

Keep reading...

February 12, 2025Written By Paula Pant

The Counterintuitive Truth About Inflation — and the Only Asset Class with QUADRUPLE Protective Power

Well, this morning’s inflation report shocked — *checks notes* — absolutely no one who’s been grocery shopping lately.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest inflation report this morning, and it’s the worst report since August 2023.

The consumer price index rose 0.5 percent last month, and the bulk of the rise — 30 percent — comes from […]

Keep reading...

February 11, 2025By Paula Pant

#581: When Disaster Hits Home – Literally

Enrollment for Your First Rental Property is open! affordanything.com/enroll
____________________________
Today’s question is different.

There’s something special about it — and you’ll understand why in a moment.

An 84-year-old listener left us a voicemail about his struggle to break free from mortgage debt. He and his 83-year-old wife need to move from their two-story townhouse because they can’t climb the stairs any longer.

They found a single-story ranch house that fits their needs perfectly — except for one detail: it carries a crushing $4,200 monthly mortgage payment.

They do have one potential escape route from this debt: selling their Florida condo, a vacation retreat that they haven’t visited in years due to mounting chronic health challenges.

But Hurricanes Milton and Helene ravaged their building last year. The storms spared their unit but destroyed the lobby and submerged their car in floodwater. The devastation slashed $100,000 from their property’s value overnight.

Now they face an agonizing decision: Should they accept this massive loss and sell the condo to free themselves from debt? Or would selling now, after such a steep drop in value, mean locking in their losses?

Joe and I have answered hundreds of questions from our listeners over the years. But this question is special. It comes from my Dad.
___________________

Here’s the transcript of my father’s full question:

Hi Paula and Joe,

My name is Prahlad. I am 84 years old, and my wife is 83. We live in a two-storied townhouse in Atlanta and also own a two-bedroom condo on the beach as a second home in Clearwater, Florida.

Recently, we purchased a one-storied ranch home in Atlanta so that we don’t have to go up and down the staircase at this old age.

Our condo in Clearwater is on the 9th floor of the 14 storied building. We love the condo with views of the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay. However, we have not been able to visit it for a long time due to our underlying health conditions.

We purchased the condo for $400,000 in 2015 and it was estimated to have appreciated to $800,000 in 2022. Since then, the price was estimated to come down to $775,000 in the Spring 0f 2024.

As you know, this area was hit by two major hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October last year. The lobby of the building was flooded with extensive damage and it is still under construction. The parking area under the roof was also flooded and our car was totaled. Fortunately, our condo did not suffer any damage.

There has not been any significant real estate buy and sell activities in this neighborhood since it was hit by the hurricanes last year. My real estate agent estimates that the current value of the condo is $700,000.

This building has been preparing for a major renovation of the plaza deck for the past few years, and we or the future owner anticipate to be assessed a large amount – maybe $30,000 – for the renovation.

We were hoping that we could sell the condo and pay off the mortgage for the ranch home we recently purchased in Atlanta, and be debt free.

What do you think – should we sell it now or wait until some later time – maybe until next year?

Your advice would be highly appreciated. Thank you both for what you do.

Keep reading...

February 9, 2025Written By Paula Pant

The Real Winners of Today’s Big Game 🏆

Today, millions will watch the Super Bowl.

But while most eyes are on the field, I’m thinking about the many winners who made their move when opportunity knocked:

The local Airbnb hosts who spotted this opportunity when New Orleans was announced in 2020, learned to analyze properties and secure financing, and turned their preparations into peak-season […]

Keep reading...

February 4, 2025By Paula Pant

#579: I Have 14 Days Until My Tenants Move In … And Nowhere to Go

Todd is in a real estate bind. He found out six days before closing on a new home that it wasn’t legally sellable. And renters are moving into his current home in two weeks. What should he do?

Anonymous is excited about expanding her real estate portfolio. Should she sell her $2.5 million rental property in the Bay Area to do this, or can she keep it and leverage the equity instead?

Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these two questions in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

  • ‹
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • …
  • 25
  • ›

Most Popular

Inflation, Illustrated
How Much is Enough?
What if We Quit Setting Goals? (Seriously?)
The Incredible Power of 10x Thinking
  • Binge
  • Questions?
  • Contact
Join 70,000+ subscribers who get free email updates.

© 2021 Afford Anything. Designed By Wilnau Design. Built by Zach Swinehart. Disclosure

© Copyright 2011 – 2025 Afford Anything. All Rights Reserved.

Website by Zach Swinehart.

  • Start Here
    • About
    • Team Afford Anything
    • Media
    • Questions?
  • Blog
    • Binge
  • Podcast
    • Binge
    • Sponsors
    • Ask a Question
    • Guest Guidelines
  • Community
  • TV
  • Explore
    • Your First Rental Property
    • Travel
    • Start a Blog
    • Earn Extra Income

Afford Anything

  • Start Here
    • About
    • Team Afford Anything
    • Media
    • Questions?
  • Blog
    • Binge
  • Podcast
    • Binge
    • Sponsors
    • Ask a Question
    • Guest Guidelines
  • Community
  • TV
  • Explore
    • Your First Rental Property
    • Travel
    • Start a Blog
    • Earn Extra Income